What will HS2 do for Birmingham?

HS2 was intended to create high-speed rail links between London and major cities in the Midlands and North of England. That has been pared down to a high-speed link between Birmingham and London. It is aimed at cutting journey times, creating more space on the rail network and more jobs outside London.



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HS2 does not anticipate being the fastest network once it is up and running. Indeed, Japan has already test-run a new bullet train, powered by electrically charged magnets, which reached an incredible 603km per hour.

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The maximum speed currently possible in the UK is 186mph, achieved by Eurostar trains on the HS1 line between London and the Channel Tunnel. The HS1 line is used by Eurostar services and Javelin commuter services from Kent, although the latter have a max speed of 140mph.

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The trains will be based on an evolution of the Zefiro V300 platform. The electric multiple units (EMU) will be 200-metre (656 ft 2 in) long with the option to couple two units together to create a 400-metre (1,312 ft 4 in) train.

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He continued that HS2 will help support economic growth and make a major contribution towards rebalancing the economy.[284] We take rebalancing the economy to mean stimulating growth outside of London and the South-East, rather than encouraging growth at the expense of London and the South-East.

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HS2 will also play a crucial role delivering Northern Powerhouse Rail – the backbone for an integrated northern rail network. Together these better connections will help to level-up the country.

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The Independent newspaper considers the costs excessive and the benefits uncertain. An investigation published in February 2013 claimed that 350 wildlife sites would be destroyed by the new HS2 line and an accompanying editorial argued that environmentalists should oppose the project.

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The main gain of HS2 is that it frees up space on the rail network for more freight services. This point has often been missed in discussions about the project. There is no doubt that there would be environmental gains. The passenger gains are less compelling and less urgent.

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Britain only has a small section connecting London with the rail tunnel to mainland Europe. In terms of speed, HS2's planned top speed of 225 miles per hour (mph) could make it Europe's fastest rail network.

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